Download
by Animegirl1129
Summary: Cain/Glitch. Waiting for Glitch to wake up is like waiting for a download with a bad connection.


Download

**_For lionelle on LJ who prompted me with 'cain/glitch and slow download time' Here ya go! Hope you like! Ummm... the boys aren't mine. Enjoy! Written at 3 in the morning. Think I caught most spelling errors, but forgive me if I didn't._**

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"Glitch?"

The headcase, or rather, now ex-headcase, could hear the tin man calling his name, but his voice just would not cooperate with him right now. He doesn't feel different, really. Smarter, sure. And his brain seems to be organizing itself. But, he still feels like Glitch. Still knows DG, Raw, and Cain. Especially Cain. Speaking of which…

"Hey, the alchemists said it might be a while before you're mind sorts itself out. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me." Cain's voice again, laced with concern and fear and something else.

He managed to will his brain into obeying the simple command and he felt Cain squeeze back.

"Great job, sweetheart. I'll be here."

What seems like seconds pass before he hears another voice. This one DG's. "Cain, why don't you get some sleep? I'll come get you if he wakes up."

He wants to protest, to tell her that he wants Cain to stay, but so far, his voice still hasn't complied.

However, Cain can evidently read his mind, because Cain says something he doesn't quite catch and he hears DG sigh and start talking again.

"It's like his brain is trying to download all this information and it's taking forever." He knows download refers to an other-side invention called a computer - something the Ambrose bits of his brain longs to examine - but he doesn't quite get what that has to do with his head.

Cain apparently does, and he doesn't sound overly happy with it. "Did you just compare him to a slow music download?"

He doesn't catch much more than that, as they both get up and talk further away. Cain must think that he can hear them - which he can.

The next time he hears any sort of conversation, Cain is alone again, or else anyone else there is being very quiet. "Hey, Sweetheart. I know your brain is working through all this, but I sure wish you'd hurry it up. I… I miss you." He feels the tin man press a kiss to his forehead.

He still can't talk, and his eyes still won't open, but he squeezes Cain's hand as hard as he can to assure the man of how much he wishes that, too.

Raw's there the next time. The Healer is working his magic, because he feels like he might just be able to open his eyes sometime this annual now. Maybe.

"Soon." The single word assures him, as well as Cain, who is still here. "Nothing more Raw can do. Up to Glitch now."

"Thanks." He hears Cain say.

Then Cain's alone again, and he can practically see those ice blue eyes watching him. When he speaks, there's a mix of relief and fear and hope. "Wake up soon, okay?" Another kiss.

He squeezes hard again in reply, and tries to raise his arm to kiss Cain's hand.

The tin man gasps when he makes the movement, but his hand hasn't left Glitch's very much since that first time, and it's not leaving now.

'_I'm trying_.' He thinks, as loud as he can, hoping maybe Cain really can read his mind.

The voices disappear for a while after that, and when he finally hears one again, it's Cain. "…lost you. Don't do that to me again, sweetheart. I can't take losing you, too."

Cain tells him that he's so sorry he left and he won't do it again. Glitch figures he didn't hear anyone because Cain wasn't there and while he was gone - maybe to shower? Eat? Sleep? See his son? Something he definitely shouldn't feel guilty about doing, whatever it had been - something had happened and he'd scared Cain half to death.

He wants, needs, to tell Cain that it's not his fault. He tries opening his eyes to no avail. Tells his brain that he wants to speak. Tries, and manages a hoarse and raspy 'Cain…'

He hears Cain launch himself out of whatever he's been sitting in and suddenly the bed shifts and Cain is next to him. "You're awake?"

"Been awake. Couldn't talk." He forces the four words out. He steels himself for another sentence. "Whatever happened, not your fault." Glitch knows that Cain knows what he's talking about, but Cain doesn't seem to agree at first.

A moment passes in silence and the he feels Cain's fingers running over his face. "I'm just glad you're okay."

His desire to see Cain again, after what feels like months, compels him to open his eyes. When he does, ice blue eyes are just inches away from his own, and there's a smile on the other man's face to top it off. "Download complete, I guess."

Cain laughs. "About damn time."


End file.
